There are plenty of things to do in Vancouver in November, especially as most venues and activities are planning for full opening. While Fall is in full swing, November is an in-between stage. The October events are over and the things to do in Vancouver in December have not started.
Whether you are a local or planning a visit to Vancouver, this post will give you your fill of what to do in Vancouver in November. I suspect you will be surprised at all that the city has to offer in what is considered the off season for tourists and the middle of fall for locals.
Important Dates in November:
- Nov 11th Remembrance Day (Friday)
- Nov 25th Black Friday
Remembrance Day Ceremonies
2022 Remebrance ceremonies will likely be back to full capacity, providing the army of volunteers needed to pull off these events come back! 2020 and 2021 Remembrance day ceremonies were quite subdued and typically it is one of the biggest Vancouver November events. As information becomes available, the list of Remembrance Day events in Vancouver will be updated here.
If you are a visitor to the city, November 11th is a holiday in Canada. Expect holiday hours and some closures (schools and banks etc. Shopping malls and Costco are open)
Black Friday Shopping
Picked from our American neighbors, Black Friday shopping is now popular all over the world. Expect plenty of Black Friday November events in Vancouver. Check into online shopping this year, if you want to avoid other people or lineups. Gone are the days when people lined up at stores for hours and now so much shopping is done online. But if you still like to browse in person, there will be plenty of shopping deals, especially at the local malls.
Shop on Robson Street
In its prime area roughly between Burrard and Jervis Street, Robson Street has every store that you could desire for your fashion wants and holiday shopping. All the major national and international chain stores are located here, from more casual and athletic wear companies such as to well-known clothing retailers. Popular footwear retailers, lingerie and beauty products are all here. You can also pick up some popular Vancouver souvenirs and things you can only get in Canada at souvenir shops Grand Maple Gift and Canadian Crafts on Robson.
Fly Over Canada’s Original Production
If you have never seen Fly Over Canada, then you are in for a treat. During the Ultimate Flying Ride, you will see numerous cities and vistas across the country. The production team for FlyOver Canada were able to select 18 scenes from over 100 hours of footage to represent Canada in the ride film. There are no subtitles or voice-overs during the experience, as we did not want to detract from the flying sensation
Tickets: Book your tickets online in advance here for the lowest price and to ensure availability.
Dates: Offered Year Round and can be combined with seasonal productions.
Location: 201 – 999 Canada Place Vancouver, BC
Important Notes: The queue is partially exposed to the elements. Ensure you wear proper attire. It is recommended to buy tickets online in advance. For those looking for Holiday Fly Over events, Soar with Santa starts in December this year!
Related: While at Coal Harbour, check out these popular Vancouver waterfront restaurants!
Beyond King Tut
With nine galleries to explore, wind through the story of a young boy whose name still looms
large, and how he changed the ancient – and modern – world. Meet Ancient Egyptian gods like
Ra and Anubis before descending into King Tut’s burial chamber and joining his quest for
immortality. Relive one of the greatest discoveries of all time – the king’s tomb with all his
treasures waiting inside, reclaimed from the desert sand after 3,000 years.
Tickets are timed and dated, and advance purchase is strongly encouraged with sellouts
expected. Prices start at $31.99 for adults and $23.99 for children ages 5-15 (plus ticketing fees).
Package rates for families, seniors (on Tuesdays) and groups are available, as well as VIP Tickets,
which include a flex ticket for entry, merchandise and entry to the award-winning
“Tutankhamun: Enter the Tomb” VR companion experience voiced by lauded English actor Hugh
Bonneville.
Tickets: www.beyondkingtut.com
Location: 999 Canada Place, Vancouver
Prices: Adults $31.99 Children $23.99
Dates: Daily in November
Christmas Glow in Langley
Guests will experience a family-friendly outdoor Christmas festival with towering light gardens and magical landscapes all under the magic of more than a million lights. Attractions include a kids scavenger hunt, food trucks, a holiday train ride, pictures with Santa, a meet and greet with princesses, and a warm tent space with liver performances and holiday beverages.
This year at Glow Langley, the theme is “the Jolly Jumble” which tells a story and sends families on a mission to find Santa’s tree-decorating team of elves so that they can finish decorating the North Pole’s Christmas Tree!
Dates: November 23rd, 2022 until December 31st 2022
Tickets: Adult $19.99, Family Pass $69.99
Parking: FREE
Location: 6690 216th St, Langley
Vancouver Christmas Market
The famous Vancouver Christmas Market starts in November and features a German-inspired Christmas Market. For those who like a jump on the holiday season, it creates the perfect atmosphere to get into the holiday spirit. Experience a selection of traditional food and beverages, and browse vendors offering authentic wood carvings and toys, knitted goods, nutcrackers, pottery, and other unique gifts. This is a popular place to get Vancouver souvenirs.
Dates: November 12 to December 24 2022
Location: Jack Poole Plaza, 1055 Canada Place Vancouver
Prices: Tickets start at $9.99 based on the type of ticket you purchase. Kids 6 and under are free.
Tickets: Pre Sale Tickets are available online. Tickets can also be purchased on arrival subject to availability.
Catch up on Sports this November in Vancouver
Fall is in the air in Vancouver and professional sports teams are back in action. Catch a BC Lions game at BC Place or watch the Vancouver Canucks face off at Rogers Arena.
November Events Vancouver: Gastown Food Tour
The Legendary Gastown Food tour takes you through the cobbled stone streets of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood and is a perfect fall activity in Vancouver Enjoy local craft beer, Japanese Kar-age style chicken, freshly made Sicilian Tortellini with local wine, battered fish with hand cut fries, tasty Carolina-style pulled pork BBQ sandwiches, organic smooth soft ice cream, creamy awarding-winning cheesecake, and delicious hand-made chocolates!
On this 2.5 hour walking food tour, professional improv comedy actors full of passion for the city and its food will share the fascinating and funny little-known stories about Vancouver and its “Wild West” history that dates back 150 years. Learn about Gassy Jack, Gastown’s notorious founder and the stories that him famous and put Vancouver on the map.
Tickets: Buy your tickets online here
Dates: Thursdays to Sundays 2pm
Location: Departs from Waterfront Station 601 W Cordova St
Vancouver Tree Lighting
2022 info TBD when available
Lights at Lafarge Lake
Lights at Lafarge Lake is one of the largest free light displays in Metro Vancouver, featuring more than 100,000 twinkling lights. This year’s Lights at Lafarge Kick-off event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 26 from 5 – 8 p.m. at Town Centre Park, featuring food vendors, arts activities, live entertainment and a grand finale performance. If you are wondering what to do in Vancouver in November and are looking for an outdoor activity, this is one you should add to your list.
Dates: Nightly from Nov 26th
Photo Courtesy City of Coquitlam
Surrey Tree Lighting
Equally as popular as the Vancouver tree lighting, the Surrey tree lighting is one of those holiday events that those living in Metro Vancouver should not miss. This is a free holiday event in Surrey at Surrey Civic Plaza. It is an all day event on Saturday, November 19 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Surrey’s 60-foot Christmas tree lighting ceremony will occur at 6:00 p.m. and the tree will be lit at 6:30 p.m. Between 12 and 8 there will be a holiday market, free amusement rides, wander through the light tunnel, and enjoy live entertainment.
Date: Saturday, November 19th 2022
Location: Surrey Civic Plaza – 13450 104 Ave, Surrey
Lights on the Lake at Harrison Hot Springs
While this event gained a ton of online press for being mis-marketed as a Whoville, it is a beautiful display of lights in Harrison on Harrison lake. Whether you visit for the day or make it a weekend getaway from Vancouver, it is a great outdoor event is very popular each holiday season
Dates: Saturday November 19th, 2022 until Sunday January 8th, 2023
Read More: things to do in Harrison Hot Springs
Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge
Named one of the most spectacular holiday lights displays in the world, Canyon Lights is set to dazzle and amaze, high above the forest floor. This is one of the best Christmas lights in Vancouver and a unique experience all in one! The suspension bridge, rainforest and Capilano River are ablaze with lights, Treetops Adventure (the eight tallest Christmas trees in the world) is lit from top to bottom, the “Arc de Lumina” light tunnel mesmerizes on Cliffwalk, while the Snowy Owl Prowl scavenger hunt entertains the whole family.
A tradition for many Vancouver families, Canyon Lights looks forward to welcoming back guests. While normally one of the things to do in Vancouver in December, Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge will again be open to visitors on November 19th 2022. Tickets are available November 3rd!
Dates for Canyon Lights: November 19, 2022 – January 22, 2023
Location: 3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver
Important Notes: Strollers are not allowed. Dress for the outdoors.
Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village Museum
Thousands of guests will be transported to a winter wonderland at the Burnaby Village Museum during Heritage Christmas, one of the largest annual holiday celebrations in Metro Vancouver. Twinkling lights will adorn the vintage storefronts at Burnaby Village Museum, while holiday carolers
and characters like Buddy the Elf wander the streets during Heritage Christmas. The result is a magical holiday experience unlike any other in Metro Vancouver and it’s all presented free of charge by the
City of Burnaby.
Location: 6501 Deer Lake, Burnaby BC
Grouse Mountain Peak of Vancouver
Dates for 2022: TBD
Grouse Mountain offers more than just skiing. This Vancouver winter activity has skating, light walks, snowshoeing and more, it is worth taking the tram up the mountain.
Feel the enchantment and radiance of twinkling lights, the calm echo of the snow and the joy of witnessing real reindeer. Experience the tranquil beauty of skating on our 8,000 square foot mountaintop Ice Skating Pond, surrounded by snow-topped trees.
Dates: TBD for 2022
Get your admission passes here.
Stanley Park Holiday Train
Welcoming over 200,000 visitors annually, the Stanley Park Railway has been popular with locals and tourists alike. Bright Nights and Stanley Park Holiday train is unfortunately canceled for 2022.
In years past, the 2 km track would wind through the forest over ground cleared by Typhoon Freda, the most devastating storm in Vancouver history which blew through in 1962.
Passengers could get a close-up look at a vintage engine and a quick photo before boarding for the 15-minute ride.
The jewel of the Stanley Park Railway’s collection of old locomotives is a locally-built replica of Canadian Pacific Railway Engine #374, famous for pulling Canada’s first transcontinental passenger train into Vancouver in the late 1880s.
Stanley Park Railway is adjacent to other popular destinations such as Lumberman’s Arch, Malkin Bowl, and the Rose Garden.
Location: Stanley Park
Dates: CANCELLED FOR 2022
Holiday Markets and Craft Fairs in November in Vancouver
Riley Park Farmers Market – Takes place at Riley Park and the parking lot of Nat Bailey Stadium 4601 Ontario Street – Saturdays 10am to 2pm
Vancouver Flea Market (Saturdays and Sundays) 9am to 5pm 703 Terminal Admission: $1.50 Special Events: Nov 14th 2021 Record Show
Cloverdale Flea Market (Sundays) Cloverdale Fair Grounds 6050 176th St Surrey, Admission $1.50
Hastings Park Winter Market (2021 details TBD but generally operates Sundays on the PNE fairgrounds)
Surrey Christmas Tree Lighting Holiday Fair: November 19th 2022 12pm – 8pm at Surrey Civic Plaza 13450 104th Ave, Surrey
Is November a Good Time to Visit Vancouver?
November is considered the offseason to visit much of British Columbia. Generally, the local ski hills are not open and Whistler Blackcomb traditionally opens in line with American Thanksgiving. The summer months are peak season to visit Vancouver, so if you want to visit without crowds, November is a good time to come into the city.
It rains 20 out of 30 days of the month, so make sure you plan for at least a chance of rain. Some of the fall foliage is still on display in November.
Read More: 99 things to do in British Columbia
Does it snow in Vancouver in November?
As you will read below, snow is a rare sight in Vancouver and is usually only seen on higher elevations. With that being said, flakes do fall in the city on occasion. If you are looking for a snowy city, November in Vancouver is not the right choice.
Weather in Vancouver in November
Vancouver has a moderate climate for most of the year. It does not get the cold snowy weather that you will find in much of the rest of Canada, but it is important to plan for the elements just in case. There is a likely chance of a dusting of snow in higher elevations in Metro Vancouver in November, and you are likely to see fresh snow on the mountains around the city.
Snow on the mountains likely means rain in the city. When planning a trip to Vancouver in November, ensure you are prepped for rain with a decent waterproof jacket and appropriate footwear. You will also want layers.
Get more information on Vancouver weather in November with tips on what to pack, temperatures to expect, and how likely you are to see wet weather or sunshine.
November in Vancouver: What to Pack
As mentioned above, it does not get extremely cold, but expect wet and cool weather. You will want to ensure you have warm, waterproof clothing including sweaters, hoodies, and a heavier jacket. Bring closed-toed shoes and some type of waterproof footwear. You will probably want a light pair of gloves and a hat. If you do not have a packable umbrella, I suggest you buy one
Things to do in Vancouver by Month
Things to do in Vancouver in January
Things to do in Vancouver in February
Things to do in Vancouver in March
Things to do in Vancouver in April
Things to do in Vancouver in May
Things to do in Vancouver in September
Things to do in Vancouver in October
Things to do in December in Vancouver
Things to do in Vancouver at Christmas
Image Credit: Lindsay Elliot / Tourism Vancouver
Image Credits: Lindsay Elliot / Tourism Vancouver (TOP) and VanDusen Gardens (BOTTOM)
Header Image Credit: Tourism Vancouver / Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
Lindsay Nieminen is the creator of UncoveringBC.com. She grew up and still lives in the suburbs of Vancouver with her family. She aims to inspire inform, and educate others about traveling in her home province of British Columbia. She is also the creator of carpediemourway.com which aims to show parents how to seek out adventure at home or abroad, with their children in tow!
We’re going to Vancouver this summer. I wish I could see some of the holiday stuff! These pictures are amazing.